of the literary classes on the
continent. Those classes are held up as in a great measure perverted,
empty, and dangerous. Niehl divides Society in Germany into four great
classes, namely: the peasantry, the aristocracy, the _bourgeoisie_ or
middle class, and the proletariat, or mere laborers for wages. The last he
regards as the decaying and corrupting class, a sort of scum in hot
effervesence. This is, however, one of the classes that produce social
movement; the other is the middle class; the conservative or stationary
classes are the peasantry and aristocracy. The learned professions he
reckons among the middle class. He makes no distinction between the
proletaries who live by the soil, and those who live by working in
connection with manufactures and mechanical trades.

Another contribution to Goethean literature is the Correspondence between
the great Poet and his intimate friend Knebel, which has just appeared in
Germany in two volumes. The letters extend from 1774 to 1832, and contain
the free expression of Goethe's opinions on a great variety of important
subjects, as well as many interesting particulars in his personal history,
hitherto unknown.

MR. WETZSTEIN, Prussian Consul at Damascus, has returned to Europe,
bringing a valuable collection of Arabic, Turkish and Persian manuscripts,
which he expects to sell to the Royal Library at Berlin. Of especial value
is a history of Persia during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, which
casts light on several portions of Persian history that have hitherto been
obscure.

LONGFELLOW'S _Evangeline_ has been translated into German and published at
Hamburg. The name of the translator is not given. The critics find that
the poem has a very marked resemblance to Goethe's Herman and Dorothea.

DR. MAYO'S _Berber_ has been translated into the German by Mr. L. Dubois,
and published at Leipzig.

A new and splendid edition of the _Pilgrim's Progress_ has been published
at Leipzig, in German. It is curious to see the good old book discussed by
the critics as if it were a new production.

German Historical Literature has lately been enriched by numerous valuable
works. Among these we notice WENCK'S _Fraenkische Reich_ (Frankish Empire),
which treats that subject, from A.D. 843 to 861, with instructive
thoroughness and philosophical insight; two essays by FICKER, the one on
Reinhald von Dassel, the Chancellor of Ferdinand I.